Sunday, December 18, 2011

As far as Xmas records, it get tough to find something that's not tired and, well, interesting. The recent offering by She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), A Very She & Him Christmas, was a pleasant surprise. M. Ward's arrangements and sparse guitar accompaniments fit nicely behind Deschanel's excellent vocals. She has just that touch of "theater singing" with jazz and pop touches to make it her own. Where's the reindeer?BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler released her fifth release, Marissa Nadler, on her own Box of Cedar label. And, it's an amazing sleeper. Produced and engineered by Brian McTear, who runs the Philly-based Miner Street/Cycle Sound Recordings, where Sharon Van Etten recorded her breakthrough record epic. Nadler's songs are nuanced, with a gorgeous sound that compliments her voice and song with simple perfection. Hence, Ms. Adler's recent record snuck into my "Best of 2011" list.BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRLCES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Fever/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN (’56)

In the Basement, Pt. 1/ ETTA JAMES & SUGAR PIE DESANTO (’66)

Misery/ BARRETT STRONG (’61)

How Long/ CHARLES BRADLEY (’11, No Time For Dreaming)

Money is King/ LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS (’09, My World)

Uzi (Pink Ring)/ EL MICHELS AFFAIR (’09, Enter the 37th Chamber)

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You/ SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS (’05, Naturally)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Brooklyn-based singer/ songwriter Lia Ices is a recent newcomer, attracting the likes of Bon Iver. Signed to Jagjaguwar, she's currently on tour with The Sea and Cake. She'll be appearing with them on Sun., Dec. 4th, at Arcata, CA's Jambalaya. Hope the sound will be A-OK (more than the crowd number). Do these two very good acts a favor and show up on Sun. night (roughly 'round 9 p.m.). BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

A Salty Salute/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’95, Alien Lanes)

Quality of Armor/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’93, Propeller)

Bedroom Eyes/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)*

Kid/ THE PRETENDERS (’79, self titled)

Desire/ ANNA CALVI (’11, self titled)

Heads Will Roll/ ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (’83, Porcupine)

LA/ ELLIOTT SMITH (’00, Figure 8)

Back of a Car/ BIG STAR (’74, RadioCity)

We Will Become Silhouettes/ THE SHINS (’05, Believer: I Am Not Going to Stab You)

Fallen Leaves/ TEENAGE FANCLUB (’05, Man-Made)

Pas la Peine (Oh No Not Again)/ NOUS NON PLUS (’11, Freudian Slip)*

Man Invented Corners/ LILA NELSON (’11, The Fret & the Fray)*

Dreaming/ ALLO DARLIN’ (’10, self titled)

Poor Old Soul, Pt. 1/ ORANGE JUICE (’79, GlasgowSchool)

Yet Another Girl/ STEPHIN MERRITT (’11 collection, Obscurities)*

36 Inches High/ NICK LOWE (’78, Jesus of Cool)

The Fall of the World’s Own Optimist/ AIMEE MANN (’99, Bachelor No. 2)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan has recently released her superb sophomore solo recording, Passenger, produced by Joe Henry. It's a growth from her 2009 debut, Sea Sew, with excellent musicianship, arrangements and stronger songs. It's her singing, however, that gives her the edge - her delivery, with her Irish lilt, is, well, lovely. Absolutely. Hannigan's a songwriter to keep an eye on (and that's not too hard!).BW SUBBAGE/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Instant This/ WILL MARTINA (’11, The Dam Levels)*

Blues For the Double Vee/ JENNY SCHEINMAN (’11, Mischief & Mayhem)

Floored/ THE NELS CLINE SINGERS (’10, Initiate)

Strike/ TAYLOR HO BYNAM SEXTET (’11, Apparent Distance)*

Sidi Mansour/ SIR RICHARD BISHOP (’09, The Freak of Araby)

Red Shoes (live)/ TOM WAITS (’88, Big Time)

The Water Under the Moon/ A HAWK AND A HACKSAW (’05, Darkness at Noon)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

After finishing the pop masterpiece, Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson led The Beach Boys into the studio to record Smile, attempting to put together a "teenage symphony to God." However, due to the band's resistance and drugs and a breakdown, Smile was never completed or officially released. Now, Wilson, Scott Litt and others put together the definitive version of the most famous record never released. Until now. And it's brilliant.BOY WONDER' S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Alas, after 27 years of marriage and work together, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, the grand longstanding couple of Sonic Youth, made an official announcement of their break-up. It is not sure how this will affect Sonic Youth's future. Here's a blogsite for further details. BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Tomorrow Night / ELVIS PRESLEY (’54)

Shakin’ All Over/ JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES (’60)

Devil Doll/ X (’83, More Fun in the New World)

You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It?)/ THE UNDERTONES (’80, Hypnotised)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Irish singer/songwriter Ken Griffin roamed the States with his first band, Rollerskate Skinny, then later, he moved to Brooklyn and formed Favorite Sons. An eccentric talent and good bartender; it is unknown what he's doing these days (Mr. Griffin get in touch with me!). Check out Favorite Sons' 2006 release, Down Beside Your Beauty on Vice Records.BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Faux-French indie band (it means that they are not a "real" French band), Nous Non Plus, based in NY, with stage names such as Celine Dijon and Jean-Luc Retard, among others, just released a "faux" debut record, Freudian Slip. It's sung in French and it's fun and it's "indie." French pop with humor and excellent pop licks. Tres magnifique!BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Margerine Rock/ STEREOLAB (’04, Margerine Eclipse)

Pas la Peine/ NOUS NON PLUS (’11, Freudian Slip)*

Run in the Dust/ JOHNNY MARR/ 7 WORLDS COLLIDE (’09, The Sun Came Out)

Doors Unlocked and Open/ DEATHCAB FOR CUTIE (’11, Codes and Keys)*

The Couples/ THE LONG BLONDES (’08, Couples)

Summer Fun/ TAMMAR (’11, Visits)*

Bedroom Eyes/ DUM DUM GIRLS (‘11, Only in Dreams)*

Swing Set/ THE CUTTERS (’01, Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!)

Tell That Girl to Shut Up/ TINA & THE TOTAL BABES (’01, She’s So Tuff)

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Wilco offers their 8th studio record, The Whole Love, and it just might rank up amongst its finest. Released on the band's own label, dBpm, The Whole Love, is definitely the logical follow-up to 2007's Sky Blue Sky, and songs such as "Art of Almost" is brilliant.BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT

Real Live Flesh/ TUNE-YARDS (‘09, Bird-Brains)

The Merry Barracks/ DEERHOOF (’11, Deerhoof vs Evil)

Art of Almost/ WILCO (’11, The Whole Love)*

Candy Machine/ STEVE WYNN & THE MIRACLE 3 (‘03, Static Transmission)

Short Version/ WILD FLAG (’11, self titled)*

Submarines of Stockholm/ A.C. NEWMAN (’09, Get Guilty)

Caught in One/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)*

New Hampshire/ SONIC YOUTH (’04, Sonic Nurse)

Left On/ THE SEA AND CAKE (’07, Everybody)

Turn on Me/ THE SHINS (’07, Wincing the Night Away)

Crimson Enemy/ THE BATS (’09, The Guilty Office)

Summer Fun/ TAMMAR (’11, Visits)*

Girl Afraid/ THE SMITHS (’84, Hatful of Hollow)

Dreaming/ ALLO DARLIN’ (’10, self titled)

My Mistakes/ ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER (’11, Last Summer)*

The Way You Walk/ PAPAS FRITAS (’00, Buildings and Grounds)

Scream (‘Till You Make the Scene)/ STEPHIN MERRITT (’11, Obscurities)*